Chapter Twenty-Three: An End to it All
Rushing toward her daughter, Sakrua took down several rogue. Then, about halfway to her, she came across Itachi, Neji, and Izakura's teammates. All of whom looked determined and one of whom was injured. Sighing she ordered them all to pause and began to look at Hana's ankle.
"What happened?"
"Kisame is taking care of the stragglers and cleaning house. We are on our way to Izakura. Was it just the two of you who came?" Neji responded, wondering if the hokage had really thought they need such little back up.
"No, Kakashi and Shikamaru came with, though they went up ahead. They should be with Izakura by now." Sakura noted before receiving confirmation from Hikari that that was the case.
"It seems that Kakashi-san is familiar with the traitor, knows him from his past. They are currently working on finding his sharingan's weakness."
"Wow, there is another Uchiha in Akatsuki?" Sakura gasped, causing everyone to turn to the Uchiha heir with narrowed eyes.
"Iie, though I had my suspicions. Pein-sama is stern when allowing the organizations members to keep their secrets." Itachi explained.
"He is correct, Pein-sama was not even aware of Tobi's true nature. However, I…" Hikari because only to suddenly cut out and disappear in a cloud of smoke.
Instantly everyone tensed, they pushed their senses to the limits and reached out across the missing five miles out. Izakura was still fighting, they could feel her chakra and it was growing. Expanding though Sakura wasn't sure how given where her reserves were at. Which could only mean that something big was about to happen, she was planning on ending it and there was a risk to it if she had called; pulled Hikari back to her side without warning.
"Lets go, now." Sakura said, and then the shinobi ran. All of them silently hoping that when they got to the battle field they would be on time.
That Izakura would be fine and whole and so would the rest of their comrades. However nothing is every guaranteed in battle, they knew this; and what was worse? Sakura's gut was filling with a dread she had felt the night Izakura had left the village.
POV Change
It seemed like no matter what I tried and the strategies I utilized, nothing effected the man who claimed to be the true leader of the Uchiha. Man who swore he was more worthy of a leader for Konoha than any other. Truth of the matter was, he was the worst possible choice and I was grateful that he had never made it thus far.
"You'll die here little girl, and then those eyes will be mine and I'll have what I need to finally take what is mine."
"In your dreams." I hissed, sending out another wait of fireballs. Masumi was running circles, forcing him to redirect his own attacks when needed.
What I hadn't been expecting was for Kakashi-sensei and Shikamaru-san to show up without mom. They always traveled together as a team no matter the mission.
"Kakashi-sensei, when…"
"Hey kid, we will…"
"And another Konoha murder appears. Perfect timing, now I don't need to track you down when I'm done destroying Konoha." Tobi sneered, prepping another attack but this time one aimed at sensei. Clearly they knew each other; but how?
Kakashi-sensei suddenly froze. His eyes locked on the man with the scarred face.
"Obito…how?"
"Focus, and take this. You're better with a blade that your mother." Shikamaru-san urged, his eyes scanning the field. Then, when Masumi-sama joined us turning his attention toward her.
"Where are the others?"
"Safe, with Kisame-san. Where is Haruno-san?"
"Dealing with Hidan, though I'm sure she'll be joining us soon." he muttered, his eyes still roaming though this time seemingly a bit distracted. Was he hiding something about ka-san? Was she injured and he was just hiding it from me?
"All together." Masumi-sama growled, refocusing not just my attention but all three of ours on the objective at hand.
She was right, this was no time for stray thoughts or needless worry. Whatever happened, whoever was hurt I could help after my mission was done. Then, then I could worry about keeping my family safe.
So, throwing caution to the wind I allowed for chakra to fill my eyes again and gave in to my instincts. Effortlessly I dodged attack after attack, countered with my own jutsu's and filled my hands with medical chakra. The phasing had to be his specialty from his own sharingan, an ability unique only to him. Unfortunately, Itachi-san and I had never gotten that far into my own training so I didn't know what my specialty was.
You're pushing yourself much too close to the edge child; hold…
This ends now Masumi-sama. If i summon the pride to us, could we…
Yes, but you don't have enough chakra for that. We…
"Shikimaru-san, can you and Kakshi-sensei cover me."
"What are you up to kid?"
"I only need one minute. Then I'll have what I need to end this."
"You've figured out the phasing?"
"Not really, but I know of a justus that will make that irrelevant." I sighed, getting impatient and knowing that if we didn't act soon Ka-san or Itachi-san were going to pop up and then things would be dragged out longer than they needed to.
Sighing, he thankfully shook his head and ran off. Engaging with Tobi in hand to hand while Kakashi-sensei got another set of jutsu's ready for follow up. Meanwhile Masumi-sama rushed to my side and growled. She wasn't a fan of what I was thinking, of what I was about to do given the risk to my life; however, I was on a time line. The summit was on going and they'd want me there soon.
Taking in a deep breath, I cut both of my palms and went through the hand seals to call on the whole pride. Masumi was once again tied to my chakra, and as we all stood as one I could feel how quickly the summons was draining my chakra and strength.
"The traitor at last, can I kill him mistress."
"Yes, that's the plan." I noted, healing my wounds. "And we are going to try for our ultimate attack. One shot is all I've got in me though, so you all ready?"
"We are with you little one." Masumi-sama swore, the rest of the pride surrounding me.
Nodding, I took a deep breath in and rushed in. Pushing Kakashi-sensei and Shikamaru-san back, forcing them to regroup while me and the pride took turns attacking. Forcing Tobi to growl, curse at our new found speed together and trying his best to escape. Which was so not going to happen.
We danced for what seemed like hours, and though I was tired and near my limit I knew that finally we were wearing him down. So with a sly grin I took a hit to the arm and graced his cheek with my chakra laced hands. Shocking him that I'd managed a hit despite his attempt at phasing. Then, before his ability was restored, Raji charged. She tore into his torso and ripped him apart.
Not long did the rest of the pride jump in, all the while I threw chakra strings around the man and held him as they finished him off. When the screams and struggling stopped, we paused.
"Blood will always taint you child, and because of your strength you will never know peace." Tobi swore, then suddenly throwing a katana at me.
I tried to move, really I did. But my limbs felt numb, my body and head weren't communicating with one another as finally the exhaustion had caught up. Roaring, Raji ripped the mans head off and spit it out before disappearing. Next was V, she cried out in rage and disappeared. Hikari had wrapped her tail around my wrist but before her healing chakra could course through my body, she too disappear; and finally with her was Masumi.
"Izakura!" Shikimari-san yelled, all while he and Kakashi-sensei were finally allowed to get near.
Kakashi-sensie looked at the corpse of the man he'd once known, and while I wanted to ask him who and from when, I could feel my mind shutting down. The loss of blood, the extreme chakra exhaustion; it was all too much.
"Shikimaru-san….I'll leave the update…at the summit…to…"
"Izakura!" I suddenly heard Ka-san, Hana and Diaske screaming. So, they'd finally caught up? Good thing it had been after the battle.
POV Change
It was happening all over again. No matter what he had done, how he had tried; Itachi was seeing his blood and his kin sacrifice themselves for the sake of the village. His younger brother had been the first; should have been the last. Yet now, after having sired a child of his own there she lay on the ground. Bleeding for the village he had destroyed his entire clan for.
"She'll be fine, she has to be." Sakura swore, tears streaming down her face while she worked on the wound. All the while Hana had placed her hand on her shoulder and began to share chakra with the medic.
It was the least she could after having failed her own teammate; her potential captain for the day they made ANBU. Meanwhile Neji and Shikimaru caught up with one another. Sharing what the other didn't know and assuring his comrade that their surroundings were clear.
"Her chakra is too low, and I don't have any pills. We need to get her back to Konoha, she needs an IV drip." Sakura said. The wound sealed and blood no longer covering the ground.
As one the group swerved, all with weapons in hand and ready to attack; only to find a confused and shocked Kisame of the Mist.
"Oi, I was doing all the heavy lifting and here you…"
"How are your reserves?" Itachi demanded of his partner, already thinking of how he could pull together with another two or three of the shinobi present to teleport his daughter back to Konoha.
"Better than the lot of you, where is…"
"Teleport Sakura-san and Izakura to the village. I'll be there soon." Itachi swore, turning to the rest of his daughters team. He hadn't been able protect his own daughter, but he would protect those she had placed her life on the line for.
Without hesitation Kisame of the Mist did as his partner instructed, concerned for the child he had taken as a student himself; and in an instant the three disappeared.
Upon arrival in Konoha, Sakura was swarmed by shinobi. All of whom she rages and roared at, swore that if they hurt the man who had just helped her save her daughters life then she would shed their blood. Then, Konoha's prodigy medic focused on saving the life of her daughter.